River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-06-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our Regular Correspondence
Washington. June Bird. 1887


The average Washingtonian has ev-
ely facility for becoming an expert
ciCeroLe as well as chaperOu; and often.
times causes the regularly established
professional guide To turn green with
envy as he hears tho amateur glibly
rattle of the various attractions and
points of interest in store for his eager
listeners; in the Capital of the Nation.
The hospitality of the citizen is often
put TO the test in this city, and gener-
ally, think, the pleasant labOrs of the
host are very creditably performed.
Great was the perpleXity of a friend
of mine day or two ago. when APP
preaching Greenough's admirable con
ceptiOn in marble of George Washing
ton as the Roman patrician;
enthusiastically describing this great
masterpiece of art, he observed a sin
gular and entirely new expression on
the features of the Father of his Coun.
try; coming nearer, he and his cOmpan-
ions were greatly shocked and consid-
erably amused at the same time, at
discovering that some vandal hand had
penciled the pupils of the eyes, and
that their glance had been purpoSely
turned inward, giving a ludicrously
cross-eyed effect TO the object of the
peoples veneratiOn.
This disposition of recklessness in
disiguring and mutilating objects of
public Interest. out of motives of pure
mischief, together with the selfish
greed Of the relic hunter, by strangers
visiting here, caused the closing of the
Washington Monument, to the great
disappointment of the thTOngs who
were here during the week of the
National Drill.
An event of interest to the medical
fraternity OF the country is the meet
ing here of the annual convention of
the Association of American physic-
ians, including in its membership rep
Tesentative men from the whole
country.
An indication of radical change is
shown in the disallOwance by the
Second Comptroller OF the Treasury.
yesterday, OF that portion of the ac-
counts of the Superintendent of the
Naval Academy. which relates to whis-
key brandy, etc, furnished for the use
of the Annual Board of Visitors to that
The plans, specifications. and forms
OF proposals and contracts for Naval
vessels advertised for. were made pub
lie yesterday; and | do not know of
another question, unless it be that of
the surplus in the National Treasury,
that has taken such a hold upon the
public mind as the contemplated re-
of our navy.
i former Secretary of the Navy, who |
WAS an enthusiastic forwaTder of this |
also.--Wm. f. Chandler
seems to be destined for the Senate; he |
having distanced all competitors in the |
race.
BOyntOn, of the Cincinnati CONNER
cial Gezette, and Shaw, of the Boston |
Transcript, are now the veterans of |
Newspaper Row. since the demise of |
Major Ben. Perley Poore.
booksellers in the vicinity of the |
noticed decided increase |
in tie sales of their school books, and |
the second hand desks. ow- |
ing to the first scare of the clerks on |
the PRONUNCIATION of the new civil ser
vice rules for promotion of the Depart |
ments; but later the decrease in this |
demand, shows that the panic is over, !
and that more reasonable view Of the |
new order of things prevails.
The faithful, efficient clerk has not |
had the time, nor the inclination to /
discuss and weigh the effects of the |
rule, as applied to his or her own case, |
and IS either totally uncOncerned, or |
feels secure on account of an inward |
of usefulness and worth. |
There is one very perceptible good |
that has been effected by the reform |
in the Civil Service, and that is the |
punctuality. In Depart ]
ment consisting of fifteen hundred |
clerks, where formerly two hundred |
were noted as being customarily tardy, |
now five OF six only have to be report |
ed as coming late, and none are per- |
mitted to leave before four o'clock |
either, thus gaining perhaps an hour |
each day from the government, on |
quite large percentage of clerks.